Heber C. Kimball's preaching in the Baptist Chapel
Published October 5, 2026 at 6:05 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
During their 1837 mission to Preston, Heber C. Kimball and Orson Hyde, following their arrival in England, felt led by the Spirit to visit the manufacturing town. Upon arrival, they were invited by the Rev. Mr. Fielding—the brother of one of the Elders—to preach in his chapel. On the following Sunday, the congregation assembled to hear them. Elder Kimball spoke on the first principles of the gospel, and Elder Hyde bore testimony. The service was profoundly moving: the congregation was visibly affected, tears ran down their cheeks, and Mr. Fielding could not refrain from frequently clasping his hands together for joy during the meeting. However, when the ministers realized that many of their members had accepted the message and desired baptism, the Rev. Mr. Fielding—fearing his craft was endangered and unwilling to submit to the doctrine of baptism for the remission of sins—closed his chapel doors against the missionaries, effectively ending their ability to speak there.
In Their Own Words
“On Sunday morning, July 30th, we went to the Vauxhall Chapel, and heard Mr. Fielding preach. After he had concluded, he gave out that Elders Kimball and Hyde, from America, would preach in the afternoon. We attended at the time appointed, and Elder Kimball preached on the first principles of the gospel, and I bore testimony to the same. The congregation were very attentive, and many were much affected, and the tears ran down their cheeks. Mr. Fielding was very much pleased, and frequently clasped his hands together for joy during the meeting. We were invited to preach in the evening, which we did, and the house was crowded to overflowing. The people seemed to drink in the word with great eagerness. We continued to preach in the chapel for some time, and many of the members of Mr. Fielding's church were convinced of the truth, and desired to be baptized. This, however, did not please Mr. Fielding, and he began to manifest a spirit of opposition, and finally closed his chapel doors against us.”
— Orson Hyde, as quoted in 'President Heber C. Kimball's Journal: Seventh Book of the Faith-Promoting Series'
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 25 December 1882 (Vol. 44, No. 52). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1882-12-25_44_52 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Additional sources (periodical research): Heber C. Kimball, 'President Heber C. Kimball's Journal: Seventh Book of the Faith-Promoting Series' (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882), Chapter V. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47519/47519-h/47519-h.htm Full first-person account: President Heber C. Kimball's Journal: Seventh Book of the Faith-Promoting Series (Salt Lake City: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1882), Chapter V https://www.gutenberg.org/files/47519/47519-h/47519-h.htm
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